Something To Come Back To
by Fate Believer
Summary: Complete AU starting at Season Five. Brenda comes home, but Val still comes to live with the Walshes. BD KD
1. Chapter 1

Author: Fate Believer

Rating: PG-13 in some areas...as story progresses R to MA

Summary: Complete AU starting at season 5. Val still comes to live with the Walshes, but Brenda comes home at the end of the summer.

Pairing: B/D K/B and other undecided pairings.

Disclaimer. They aren't mine. If they were, the whole D/K soulmates thing would have never happened.

Author's Notes: Brenda and Kelly are friends in this one. Kelly is happy with Brandon. Valerie is still...well Valerie. A lot of the things that happened during the course of the show will still happen but will be changed to fit the plotline.

Brenda Walsh hung up the payphone, annoyed. Where the hell was Dylan? She had tried calling him at least a dozen times today and each time she got the damn answering machine. With an irritated sigh, she headed towards baggage claim to retrieve her luggage. She hadn't expected him to meet her at the airport, but she expected him to at least return one of her calls. They hadn't spoken much during the summer at all and it made her heart hurt. He hadn't taken well to Erica going missing. That much she knew. He was spending most of his time trying to find her and Brenda couldn't be mad at him for that. Erica was all the family he had left.

London had been fun and her parents had encouraged her to stay when she told them about the opportunity for her to extend her stay. She had to admit she was tempted, but the truth was, she missed Dylan. Her parents weren't aware of their resumed relationship and she knew her father probably wasn't going to react well, but it was her life and she had made her choice. Her choice was her life in Beverly Hills and a life with the man she loved. Besides, what better place to try and get into acting than Los Angeles?

She hefted her bags onto a luggage cart and fished her keys out of her purse. No one knew she was coming home. She had wanted it to be a surprise and she imagined it would be now. The only person she told was Dylan and she hadn't exactly told him. She'd told his damn answering machine. It was of little consequence though. It wasn't like she was stranded her. Dylan had made sure of that before she ever left for London. She made her way through the parking terminals at LAX until she reached her parking spot. There was her going away present from Dylan. A current year model BMW. Something her and her two best friends had in common now. She originally hadn't wanted the car, saying it was too expensive, but Dylan had insisted she needed something to drive that was hers when she returned home. After all, she couldn't show up to auditions in a beat up station wagon.

After throwing her bags into the trunk, Brenda slipped behind the wheel of her car. She had to adjust the seat because after all Dylan had been the one to drive it last and his legs were quite a bit longer than hers. She smiled when she looked over in the passenger seat. He had to have been here recently because there was a small box sitting on the seat. Eagerly, she opened it and was pleased to see a framed picture of the two of them right before she left for London. God, she loved that man. With a shake of her head, Brenda started the car and headed towards home.

Brandon Walsh scowled at the blue screen. Delayed. Damn. He hated airports as it was, but now he had to wait even longer? He was supposed to meet Kelly in a couple hours, but he had no idea how long he was going to have to wait for Valerie's plane to land. It was going to be weird to have anyone besides Brenda living in the room next to his. He wasn't exactly comfortable with sharing a bathroom with another female. Let alone Valerie. She was a sweet girl, but there was something deeply troubled in her. Always had been. However, his heart went out to her. Her mom wasn't the nicest woman in the world and her father had killed himself. Brandon resolved to show Val a good time here in Beverly Hills.

Brenda pulled into the driveway of Casa Walsh and was once again reminded of exactly why she decided to come home. She loved this place. Brandon's car was missing and she was disappointed. She was looking forward to seeing the look on her twin's face when he saw her. She shut the car off and climbed out, activating the alarm with a small beep. She used her key to open the door and stepped into the foyer of her home.

"Brandon, Valerie is that you, " her mom's voice called from the kitchen.

Who was Valerie? Last she knew Brandon was seeing Kelly.

" Sorry, Mom. Wrong twin, " Brenda headed towards the kitchen and grinned when she saw her Mom emerge with a stunned expression.

"Brenda? What on earth are you doing here? I thought you were staying in London, " Cindy Walsh was floored.

" Not exactly the Welcome Home I was expecting. I wanted to surprise everyone, " Brenda smiled wryly.

"Mission accomplished, honey. How did you get here? You should have called. I would have had Brandon pick you up while he was picking up Valerie, " she replied as she hugged her daughter tightly.

" I didn't need to be picked up, but thanks anyways. Color me confused here, but who's Valerie, " Brenda asked as she pulled away from her mom.

" Oh honey, you know Valerie. Valerie Malone. We told Abby we'd let her come live with us..." Cindy trailed off, remembering the rooming problem after her shock of seeing her daughter home again wore off.

" Oh, duh. Brandon told me about her dad. I can't imagine what she's going through right now..." Brenda said, sympathetically.

" Sweetheart, um, we weren't really expecting you to come home...so we told Abby that Valerie could stay in your old room, " Cindy waited for the explosion, but it never came.

" No big deal. There's some things I'd like to grab from my room though, " Brenda shrugged.

" I don't mean to sound dense here, Brenda, but where are you going to stay, " she asked.

" I have lots of friends, Mom. They have couches until I can find something more permanent," Brenda laughed at her mom's reaction.

" Oh, honey I feel just awful. I feel like we're kicking you out, " her mom sounded guilty.

" Mom, relax. I didn't tell you guys I was coming home. This is totally my fault, " Brenda's mind was working in overtime though. Dylan hadn't been home, but she had a key to the house. She'd just crash there for a while.

"Well come into the kitchen and tell me all about London, " Cindy replied, excitedly.

An hour later the door slammed shut and Brenda jumped. She stood up from her chair and headed into the foyer where she saw Brandon and Valerie.

" Whoa. I was wondering who the hell had the audacity to park in my spot, " Brandon grinned as he held his arms open to his sister.

" Oh, please. Like it has your name written all over it, " Brenda shot back as she hugged her brother tightly.

" You're not supposed to be here, little sister, " Brandon stated as they parted.

He got a slug to the shoulder.

"Never tell your sister she can't come home, Brandon, " Brenda stuck her tongue out at him. Cindy joined them in the foyer and smiled when she saw Valerie. She stepped forward and hugged her.

"Welcome to Beverly Hills, honey," Cindy Walsh smiled at the petite brunette.

" Thanks Aunt Cindy, " Valerie smiled as she coined her favorite name for Brenda and Brandon's mom.

" Valerie! Wow, I haven't seen you in forever, you look great, " Brenda grinned at her old friend.

" So do you! Nice wheels by the way, " Valerie teased.

Brenda looked guilty momentarily and waited for the barrage of questions.

"You know, Bren, I was meaning to ask you about that...now say you're sorry and swear you'll never steal another car again, " Brandon smirked.

"Wait a second, Brenda, you have a car, " Cindy Walsh sounded stunned.

" Okay hold on here. First of all, the car is not stolen, Brandon. It's mine. Legally bought and paid for. Secondly, yes Mom I have a car. Did you think I walked here, " Brenda teased her mom.

" I just assumed you took a cab..." She was cut off

"And that I left all my luggage in London? Not likely, " Brenda replied, amused.

"That only leaves the question...where did the car come from, " Brandon asked.

" It was a going away present, " Brenda replied defensively.

" From who, " Brandon and Cindy both wanted to know.

Brenda winced and prepared herself from the fallout of answering this question.

"Dylan."


	2. Chapter 2

Jim Walsh was not a happy camper. He had hoped Brenda being gone for the summer would have made her realize what was out in the world and that better men were out their than Dylan McKay. He apparently was wrong. It seemed as Brenda still wanted to see that idiot. He hadn't forgotten his last argument with Dylan. They had been getting along so well up until the past few weeks and then he was reminded of all the reasons he was glad Brenda and Dylan had called it quits.

He didn't think Dylan was a bad guy, he just thought Brenda could do better. Now given the choice between Dylan McKay and Stuart Carson, he'd choose Dylan any day. Iris was a lot easier to deal with than the Carsons. They simply drove him nuts. Besides, he adored Erica. Now that he thought about it, he found it odd that Dylan hadn't stopped by to see Brandon or sit with Cindy. His wife had a soft spot for Dylan. She always had.

However, he was still less than pleased that Brenda's new car had been paid for by him. Dylan blowing his money was something they had never seen eye to eye on and Jim was even more surprised that Brenda allowed him to do so. She never had been one for extravagant gifts. He just prayed she was careful with her new vehicle. Lord knows he was praying for the people of Beverly Hills with Brenda loose on the roads.

Feeling guilty, he remembered Valerie, who he had barely given a moment's thought since her arrival. She had been witness to the blowout between he and Brenda. Great way to start her new life here. With him and his daughter at each other's throats. Brandon had quietly snuck out of the house, having no input on the situation. Cindy had ushered Valerie into the kitchen and tried to keep her mind off the war raging in the living room.

Brenda had always been feisty but when defending Dylan, she got downright hostile. His little girl looked like she wanted to take his head off his shoulders when he began to rip into her about Dylan. He recalled the words she had hissed at him and he immediately felt a pang of regret.

" _You know all Dylan has ever wanted is to be accepted by this family and yet time and time again, you slam the door in his face. So what gives you the right to pass judgment on him when he finally gets what he wants the most? A family that he can love and take care of, " Brenda's eyes were flashing with anger as she yelled at her father._

" _Because I've seen what loving that boy can do to people! He's a drunk, Brenda. He just had a father who stole money from people and left it to him! He's never had to work a day in his life, " Jim retorted, the argument sounding ridiculous even to him._

" _You know, you really have no clue when it comes to Dylan. He'd trade all that money if he just had a family like ours! All he actually wants is love and acceptance, and every time he gets close and thinks he has a chance, you have to go and ruin his hopes, so tell me Dad, what kind of person does that make you, " Brenda glared at her father before snatching up her purse and running out of the house, the door slamming behind her._

Brenda had left hours ago and Jim's heart hurt. He had no idea where his little girl was and that bothered him. She hadn't called to let anyone know she'd found a place to stay so they wouldn't worry. Brenda was his baby and he had convinced himself long ago that he was only trying to do what was best for his little girl. There was a little nagging doubt in the back of his head that she had a point. Dylan had never intentionally tried to hurt anyone of his family. He just automatically disliked him because his father was a criminal. It was in that moment that he realized that if he wanted to keep Brenda in his life, he was going to have to give Dylan a chance.

Brenda was worried when she pulled into Dylan's driveway and his car was missing. Something wasn't sitting right with her and her fears started to grow even more when she opened the door to the house. It was completely filthy and looked like it hadn't been lived in for weeks. She almost tripped when she stepped onto the stack of mail that was on the floor. It looked almost...abandoned. She set her bags down on the floor and carefully walked through the mess, mouth hanging open. Dylan wasn't neat, but he certainly wasn't this messy.

She did a walk through of the house before returning to the living room. The answering machine mocked her with it's blinking light. Unable to resist temptation, she pressed the play button.

"You have thirty-five new messages, " the machine broke the silence in the room.

Brenda gaped at the machine. Where the hell was Dylan? Suddenly, she was afraid. What if he had hurt himself surfing again? No. That couldn't be it. She was his emergency contact. Someone would have gotten in touch with her somehow. Suddenly weary, she flopped down on the couch. It was then she noticed the small piece of paper on the coffee table. She recognized Erica's sloppy scrawl. Erica used to write her notes when she was in school, even though she and Dylan had both discouraged it.

She picked up the note and read through it, everything clicking into place. Suzanne and Kevin had taken Erica...and they'd taken Dylan's money. When she got done reading, she was shaking. Part from fury and from fear. What on earth had Dylan done? More importantly what was he doing right now? Brenda bolted to the desk and yanked the drawers open, almost crying with relief when she saw his passport in there. He hadn't gone after them, thank god. That only left one option and Brenda didn't think she liked it very much.

Dylan McKay was drunk. Actually, he was pretty sure he was completely and totally smashed. He wasn't even sure how long he had been sitting on this beach, but he knew with certainty that he was broke. Everything was gone. Brenda was gone. Erica was gone...and so was all of his money. He really didn't care about the money part, he could live without that. It was Brenda and Erica he had the problem with. They were the closest to family he had. Brenda had decided to stay in London and just thinking about that made his heart clench in pain. When she said she might stay, his world had been broken. She was the only hope he had of surviving this whole fiasco and he couldn't make his mouth form the words to ask her to come home. He wouldn't. Brenda deserved this opportunity and he wasn't going to drag her down into his misery.

Dylan picked up a rock and threw it into the ocean. He had no clue where to go from here. He guessed the only place he had left to go was home. He wasn't really sure where that was anymore. He had a house sure, but it was empty. Erica wasn't running around anymore. Brenda's smiling face wasn't there to greet him in the morning. Dylan scowled at the setting sun. Fuck this. He needed another drink.

Brenda slammed the door to Casa Walsh and hurried up the steps. Brandon's car was still in the driveway. That was good because she needed to talk to him. She flung open the door to his room and took a minute to catch her breath. Brandon was on the phone, but he quickly told whoever he was talking too he would call them back.

"What's the matter, Bren? You look upset," Brandon hurried over to Brenda and pulled her into his room and shut the door.

" When was the last time you saw Dylan? It looks like he hasn't been home in weeks, "

Brandon thought about it and realized that he couldn't remember the last time he saw his friend. He'd been so busy with Kelly, he really hadn't noticed Dylan's absence.

" Man, Bren, now that I think about it, I think it's been at least a month, " Brandon sounded sheepish for not thinking about it until now.

" Brandon, I think he's in trouble.. ," Brenda sounded on the verge of hysteria.

" Whoa, slow down. Take a deep breath and tell me what's going on, " Brandon guided Brenda to his bed and made her sit down.

She told him about what Suzanne and Kevin had done. He sat in stunned silence. God knows what this had done to Dylan. Erica had been one of the brightest spots in Dylan's life. Not only had they robbed him of his money, they had robbed him of what little family he had left.

"It's gonna be alright, Brenda. We'll find him. Chances are Dylan's down in Baja, " Brandon tried to calm his sister.

" That's not what I'm worried about, Brandon. I'm worried about what he's doing there, "

Brandon understood what she was saying. Dylan was a recovering alcoholic. Something like this probably sent him running straight back to the bottle. Add in the fact that Dylan didn't know Brenda was coming home and it was a recipe for disaster. Brandon cursed himself for not being a better friend and trying to keep in touch with Dylan over the summer.

" Well, what do you wanna do? Wait it out and see what happens or do you want to head down there, " Brandon asked quietly.

"You even had to ask? I'm going down there and I'm not leaving until I find him. I just got him back Brandon. I'm not going to lose him again, " Brenda looked him dead in the eye and he realized that he wouldn't be able to talk her out of this. That meant one thing.

They were going to Baja.


	3. Chapter 3

Jim and Cindy could tell Brenda was upset when she and Brandon came downstairs and Jim's hackles immediately went up. What the hell had Dylan done now? Brenda's eyes were red and puffy, a telltale sign she had been crying. Just when he thought he could give the boy another chance he had to go and pull a stunt like this. He let out a deep sigh.

"What's he done now," Jim asked her, a note of irritation in his voice. Brandon made a slashing motion across his throat to kill the subject, but he ignored him.

Brenda whirled on him and she had a malicious glint in her eye. Maybe he should have listened to Brandon.

"Well, you got your wish, Daddy. Dylan's gone. He's probably drinking himself stupid right now because Kevin and Suzanne took Erica...and they ran off with Dylan's money, " Brenda's voice was shaking with barely controlled anger.

Suddenly, Jim Walsh didn't want to be right anymore. He felt a tightness in his chest when he thought of what those people had done to Dylan. He might be not be his number one pick for his daughter, but Dylan had been elated when he found out he had a sister. Not to mention the fact Dylan had trusted Suzanne blindly and she had used his love for Erica to manipulate him.

" Brenda, I'm sorry. I didn't know. Where did he go? Do you know, " Jim immediately softened his tone.

" I don't know, Daddy. I just know I have to find him. I'm scared for him," Brenda's eyes watered over and she didn't bother to wipe away the stray tears falling down her cheeks.

Not quite knowing what else to do, he took his daughter into his arms and hugged her, rubbing her back in a soothing motion, much like he had done with her as a child. Brenda wasn't a baby anymore though. She was a strong, intelligent, and capable woman. It was time he started treating her as such.

"It's okay, baby. We'll find Dylan, " He reassured her.

"Me and Bren are going to head down to Baja, check out some of his hangouts down there. If Dylan's hiding, it's likely that's where he is, " Brandon finally spoke.

"I'll go with you, " Jim was firm in his answer and let them both know there was no room for argument.

"But Jim...Valerie just got here, " Cindy said.

" I owe this to Dylan. We'll find him and then we'll find a way to get his money back., " Jim was angry that he himself had been fooled by Kevin's act. Not to mention that they were using an innocent child as a pawn in their scam.

Brenda looked up at her dad and offered him a small smile.

"Thank you, Daddy, " Brenda said softly.

"Thank me once we find him, " Jim replied.

Kelly sighed as she hung up the phone after talking to Brandon. She was torn. She still cared about Dylan, but if anything she realized that it was more in a friendly type way. She was surprised to hear Brenda was home, but not really. Dylan and Brenda always managed to find their way back to one another and she didn't want Brenda to get the impression she was going to try and stand in the way of that. That was the reason she declined Brandon's invitation to go search for him. She told them of some helpful places to look and wished them luck, but for Brenda's sake, she was sitting this one out.

If there was one thing she had realized since getting together with Brandon, it was what a lousy friend she had been to Brenda. Granted, Dylan was as much to blame as she was when it came to their affair, but everything beyond was her fault. She was the one who had been so blindly jealous of Brenda's life, not realizing the problems that Brenda actually had. Not to mention believing that stupid rumor about her sleeping with Rory Randolph. She was Brenda's best friend, supposed to know her better than anyone, yet she was so easily swayed to believe such an awful thing, simply because she envied her.

Brenda was back now and Kelly resolved to make amends for the past. David had decided to move back in with his father after Donna had caught him with Ariel. That meant they had a bedroom open and she really wanted Brenda to move in with her and Donna. What better way to get their friendship back on track than for it just to be the girls? Brandon promised to mention it to Brenda when they found Dylan, but told Kelly right now just wasn't a good time to ask her.

If there was thing in this world that Kelly was certain of though, it was that Brenda would find Dylan. One of the biggest problems in her relationship with Dylan was the deep connection he seemed to share with Brenda. At first it had irritated her that they knew each other so well, but now she was thankful for it. It would help Brenda bring Dylan home.


	4. Chapter 4

Valerie Malone, better known as Val to her friends back in Buffalo, was not a happy camper. She was in Beverly Hills and should be out having the time of her life, but instead she was stuck here with her mom's best friend, Cindy. It wasn't that Val didn't like Cindy, it was more of the fact she hated pretending to be interested in whatever the hell the woman was telling her. Valerie had been excited when her mom had told her that Brenda had moved to London and she was sending her to live with the Walshes.

Yet here she was, once again in the shadow of Brenda Walsh. When they had lived in Minnesota everything had always been about Brenda. Her mom used to ask her why she couldn't be more like Brenda. In truth, Val couldn't stand the good two shoes. However, she realized earlier tonight that Brenda wasn't quite the golden child she thought she was. Apparently Uncle Jim really didn't like Brenda's boyfriend.

That was fine with her though, because it would make it easier for them to see that she was a much better daughter than Brenda could be. Something about Mexico finally filtered her brain and she snapped back to attention.

"I'm sorry, what did you say Aunt Cindy, " Valerie asked sweetly.

" I said since the kids and Jim have gone to Mexico, Brandon's girlfriend, Kelly is going to pick you up tomorrow morning and take you shopping, " Cindy replied.

" Oh okay. Why did they go to Mexico again, " Valerie hadn't paid attention close enough to that part of the conversation.

" Brenda's boyfriend, Dylan, he's missing and they think he may be hiding down there, "

" But Uncle Jim doesn't like Brenda's boyfriend. Why did he go, " Valerie asked innocently.

" Oh honey, Jim and Dylan have a love-hate type relationship. Jim doesn't always approve of everything Dylan does, but Jim does still care about him, "

Valerie fumed. Well, that could be taken care of very easily.

Kelly wasn't sure what to make of Valerie after spending the entire morning with her. On the surface, Valerie seemed nice. She was polite and oohed and ahhed over just about everything she saw. She didn't stop complimenting Kelly all morning and using the phrase that she wished she'd lived here all her life. They talked very little about Val's life back in Buffalo and Kelly chalked it up to her grief over her father.

When the subject turned to Brenda, Valerie was eager for any little detail about her life. Kelly knew she didn't like that. They talked about Brenda's relationship with Dylan and Kelly got the impression Valerie was trying to fish for information. Smart enough not to let anything detrimental slip, Kelly managed to steer the conversation back to Valerie. Brandon had told her that Brenda and Val used to be friends, but she didn't know how close and Kelly was taking her vow to be a better friend very seriously. The one thing Kelly did know though was that after spending a day with Valerie, that she was almost positive she was up to no good.

Brenda sighed as she left the bar. The bartender said he hadn't seen Dylan when she had showed him his picture. God knows Dylan was good at disappearing when he wanted too. In a way she felt like this was partly her fault. She should have told him right away she was coming home instead of trying to add a dramatic flair to her arrival. She never would have told him about her offer to stay if she had known about Erica.

That was one of the things she loved most about Dylan. He always wanted was best for her. Even if he was going to lose something. That was the thing though. Being with him was what was best for her. She had never loved anyone like she loved him, not even Stuart. Dylan McKay was one of a kind and she loved him with her whole heart, flaws and all. She loved that even though everyone perceived him as a bad boy, he was really a total teddy bear at heart. His capacity to love was astounding.

What she loved the absolute most though was the fact that he always stood by her. Even when it caused him problems, he never turned his back on her. Not when she told him about Rick, not when she was arrested, and not during the whole Rory Randolph debacle. Dylan had unwavering faith in her. That touched her in ways no one would ever be able to grasp.

That's what was driving her to find him. He had never turned his back on her and she wasn't going to let him think she had done it to him. With renewed initiative Brenda continued her search. If she were Dylan where would she go? That's when it hit her.

The beach.

Jim Walsh was impressed by his kid's loyalty to their friends. He and Brandon had been searching for hours and Jim was a bit surprised to learn his son and his daughter were both fluent in Spanish. He realized there was a lot he didn't know about his kids. Like just how deep the bond between Brenda and Dylan ran. She was like a bulldog with a bone, and dead set on her mission. She wasn't leaving until she found Dylan. He just hoped she was fairing better than he or Brandon.

She had been walking for hours it seemed when she finally spotted the little cantina on the beach. A few people were milling around beside it and she felt a spark of hope in her chest. A beach and a bar. Two things Dylan was sure to want. If he managed to find a combination, he would be set. She nearly broke out into a run in her hurry to reach it.

When she did she had to pause to catch her breath. The man behind the bar looked at her annoyed as she tried to gasp out what she was trying to ask.

"¿Usted ha visto a este hombre, " Brenda asked as she held up his picture to the bartender.

"Sí, He visto el borracho, " he responded annoyed.

"¿Cuándo? ¿Usted sabe dónde puedo encontrarlo, " Brenda asked desperately.

The bartender pointed down to a cluster of rocks. There was Dylan sitting beside them looking out at the ocean. Relief flooded through her and she almost fell down. Her first instinct was to run and wrap him in her arms. Even from this distance, she could see he drowning in his pain. She approached cautiously, her footsteps silent on the sand. He was so lost in his own world, he actually jumped when she spoke.

" Imagine my surprise when I return home and the one person I really want to see is gone, " Brenda spoke softly.

" Wasn't good company, " Dylan turned and offered her a pitiful excuse of a smile.

" When has that ever stopped me, " Brenda sat beside him and searched his face. What she saw there actually frightened her. It was the face of a man with no hope.

" You Walshes... you never do give up, " Dylan replied.

" Call it a character flaw, " she reached up and placed her hand on his cheek. His eyes closed and he nuzzled against her hand.

" I didn't have anywhere else to go but here, " Dylan sighed.

" Well you've got me now, " she kissed his forehead and pulled his head down into her lap.

They sat that way for a long time not speaking with Brenda running her fingers through his hair.


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: I have not decided if Ray Pruitt is going to exist in this universe. I think if he does, he will have already become successful because I am using the lyrics Jamie Walter's song Hold On through out this fiction.

Jim and Brandon had given up a few hours later and were back at the hotel when Brenda arrived, Dylan in tow. He merely nodded at the both of them before Brenda sent him in the bathroom to take a shower. Her eyes stayed on the closed door before turning to talk to her father and brother.

" Where'd you finally find him, " Jim asked.

" On the beach, near a cantina. " Brenda's eyes kept straying to the bathroom door.

" He looks like hell, " Brandon commented and Brenda merely nodded.

" He told me he had nowhere else to go," she said.

" I'm sorry, Bren. I've just been so wrapped up in-, " Brandon was cut off.

" It wasn't your fault, Brandon. If it was anyone's fault, it was mine. I should have told him I was coming home. Maybe he would have been able to hold out a little longer. If he would have told me, I would have come home. I think that's why he didn't, " Brenda sounded frustrated.

" Honey, this isn't your fault either. No one is to blame here. Except those two pariahs that took off with his sister, " Jim reassured her, and Brenda heard a dangerous tone in her father's voice. He really was angry. She was just glad that it wasn't directed at Dylan.

They hit the roads after they had all showered and eaten. Brandon and Jim in his car and Brenda and Dylan in hers. Dylan slept for a while, but when he woke up, he didn't say much. He just stared out the window. The radio was playing softly and Brenda listened to the lyrics of the song. For once she could completely relate to the song.

_I don't wanna see you ever sad  
And everything that i've got you can have  
When it's all too much  
You need some human touch  
To see that it's really not so bad_

_Did you call on every saint you know  
But still you feel like you're on your own_

_Can you see through your tears  
I will always be here  
And you're not out there all alone_

She blinked back the tears forming and focused on the road. How was she supposed to get him through this when she had no clue what to say to him? Her dad had so far been the only one to break through to him. Her dad sometimes made her want to pull her hair out, but he was a good man. He promised Dylan that they would find his money, but more importantly, they would find Erica.

Erica. God knows what that little girl was going through. She had loved Dylan's sister from the moment she met her. It was like having her own little sister. She recalled the last time they had actually spent time together had been at the Carnival. They had a blast together, riding all the rides and acting silly. Now, who knows where she was.

However, Brenda knew her dad and he was determined. As soon as they got back to Beverly Hills he was getting to work on tracking down Dylan's money. He was going for the money first mainly because it was the best way for Dylan to get Erica back. It gave them a bargaining chip. Kevin and Suzanne were a lot of things, but stupid wasn't one of them. Although Jim Walsh had some tricks up his sleeve and Brenda knew it. She could see it by the hard glint that came into his eye when they were discussing it.

He wasn't sure how long they had been driving. Everything just seemed to pass by in a blur. Out of the corner of his eye he looked at Brenda. She was like some sort of divine intervention for him. He had been ready to drink himself into oblivion until she showed up on that beach to find him. It's funny how she always managed to find him. He wasn't sure when their connection had grown so deep. He just knew he had felt closer to her than he had ever felt to anybody. She read him like a book and she was the first one to call him on his bullshit. She and Brandon were alike in so many ways it was scary.

Her father had been a surprise though. The last person he would have expected to help look for him was Jim Walsh. It was no secret that they didn't get along. In fact after their last meeting he was surprised the man was barely civil to him. Hell, the entire Walsh family surprised him sometimes. They were the closest he had ever been to a normal family and he envied Brenda and Brandon for it. It had been in this past year he had really felt close to them though. He loved going over their for family dinners. It made him feel like he was a part of something special. Like he was a part of their family.

" I'm sorry, Bren, " Dylan's voice was thick with emotion.

Brenda's head whipped towards him and he looked up at her.

"What in the world do you have to be sorry for, " Brenda asked.

"For not being stronger, " Dylan's reply was barely audible.

" Dylan, you didn't do anything wrong. Those people did. You don't have to be strong all the time, "

" I should have known better. Jim was right. I never should have trusted that woman, "

"Dylan, she came to you with your sister. She played on your weakness but it wasn't your fault, " Brenda's tone was firm and left no room for argument.

Dylan was silent again for a while before he spoke again.

"I love you., Bren, " he said quietly.

He was rewarded with a Brenda Walsh smile and a secretive

"I know."


	6. Chapter 6

When Dylan awoke the next morning, he was disoriented. It took him a few minutes to figure out where he was and how he got here, but it all came back to him when he looked down and saw the raven haired woman lying on his arm. The one thing about Brenda...she could sleep like the dead sometimes. Her hair was in a messy ponytail and a few stray locks had fallen across her face. He could tell her hair had gotten longer since she left. Dylan had always loved Brenda's hair. He remembered when she had dyed it blonde and a smile came to his face. She had sheepishly admitted to him once a long time ago that she had done it because Kelly told her that he preferred blondes. It was funny because Dylan hadn't been able to picture his life without this particular brunette in it for many years now.

She was clad in one of his old t-shirts that he used to wear when he worked on his bike. His t-shirts had the tendency to swallow her. This particular one fell to about mid-thigh.

Part of him was tempted to wake her, but the throbbing in his head was telling him other things. Aspirin is what he needed. Carefully, he slid his arm out from beneath her and headed into his bathroom to find the bottle of pain reliever.

It was no wonder to him then why he couldn't remember her getting into bed. Honestly, he thought she had went back home. No, Brenda had been up cleaning because his house most certainly wasn't this clean and organized when he left for Baja. Shit. His car. They would have had to left it down there because he vaguely remembered sleeping in Bren's car on the way back. Which is why he was surprised yet again when he caught a glance of his porsche in the driveway on his journey to the kitchen. Those Walsh people really were something else.

Kelly had gotten up early to meet Brandon for breakfast. He called her as soon as he got home last night to apologize for skipping town, but she had assured him that he didn't need to apologize. That he was doing one of the many things she loved about him, which was looking out for his friends and his family. It was a family trait. Never had she ever been more thankful to have made friends with Brenda as she was this past summer. It was in that line of thought that Kelly had come to the realization that often she had let jealousy cloud her friendship with her supposed "best friend". When she had first met Brenda, she was jealous of the closeness she had with both her brother and her parents.

Then, she had been jealous because Jim and Cindy were still very happily married. Finally, she had been jealous of Brenda for having the seemingly "perfect" relationship with Dylan.

Kelly frowned. Instead of going out and finding her own relationship, she had just taken her best friend's.

"Now, that isn't a look I want to see, young lady," Brandon's voice startled her out of her thoughts. Her frown quickly turned into a smile as he sat down beside her and kissed her quickly.

"Sorry, just doing some thinking, " Kelly explained.

" You know I hate when women tell me that. It generally means I'm not going to like the conversation that we're going to have, " Brandon joked, only half teasing.

"Oh no. It wasn't about us. You're stuck with me, Walsh, " Kelly smiled at him.

"Anything but that, " Brandon teased her as he leaned in to kiss her once again.

" Oh, very funny, How's Dylan doing," Kelly asked.

" Last time I saw him, he was passed out in his bed, with Brenda cleaning like a mad woman, " Brandon replied as Nat put a cup of coffee down in front of him.

" Poor Dylan. I mean I never exactly care for Suzanne, it's true, but I never thought she could use her own kid like that, " Kelly's nose scrunched up in distaste.

"Believe me, Kel, I don't think any of us saw this one coming, " Brandon sighed.

Brenda yawned lazily as she padded into the living room. The smell of fresh coffee had driven her from her sleep and she had been unable to ignore it. Dylan was standing in the open doorway, apparently lost in his own thoughts. Momentarily distracted from her quest for coffee, she walked over to stand beside him.

" Anything interesting out there, " she asked softly.

"Nope. The world goes on like it normally does. Amazing huh, " Dylan replied.

"Not really. Just normal, " Brenda said.

His arm snaked out to wrap around her waist and he pulled her to him. She looked up at him with those crystal clear blue eyes that always seemed to be looking right into his soul and it was in that moment, Dylan knew that everything just might be alright. Just by being here, Brenda made the pain a little bit more bearable.


	7. Chapter 7

Brenda and Dylan stood in the doorway for a while longer, not speaking. She was still wrapped up snugly in his arms, with him drawing comfort from her presence alone. It amazed him sometimes how Brenda was the only person able to calm him when he was at his wit's end.

"Penny for your thoughts, " Brenda's voice drew him from his thoughts.

" They're worth at least a quarter, " he teased her dryly.

She pinched his arm and he glared playfully down at her.

"Abusive wench. Now I'm really not going to tell you what I thinking, " Dylan muttered against her ear.

"Oh, is that right? I bet I can persuade you to change your mind..." Brenda's voice trailed off as she turned in his arms to face him.

He lowered his head to hers and smiled slightly.

"Do your worst, woman, " he challenged her.

She kissed him sweetly, her arms reaching up to twine around his neck. His arms tightened around her waist and he smiled against her mouth.

"Well, that's certainly a start, " he whispered when they broke away for air.

"Oh, don't worry, I'm far from done, " Brenda replied before she caught his mouth in another kiss.

They stumbled out of the doorway, with Dylan kicking the door shut behind them.

Valerie mused over how times had certainly changed when she went down to breakfast that morning and only found Jim and Cindy in the kitchen. Brandon hadn't been in his room and Brenda hadn't returned with them the previous evening.

"Good morning, " Valerie chirped cheerfully.

"Good morning," Jim and Cindy replied.

"Where's the rest of the house, " Valerie inquired.

"Oh, Brandon went to meet Kelly for breakfast at the Peach Pit and Brenda stayed with Dylan last night, " Cindy replied.

"Oh, so you guys found him," Valerie replied casually.

"Yeah, we found him. Now I'm working on tracking down the criminals that took his little sister, not to mention his money, " Jim said.

Valerie paused. She remembered hearing about the missing money, but she must have missed the part about them taking his sister. She felt a small pang of sympathy for the guy. Not only did they rip off his money, they took his sister.

"Where's Dylan's parents in all this, " Valerie questioned.

"Oh, Iris lives in Hawaii and his father passed away last year, " Cindy said quietly.

Valerie had no reply to that.

"Brenda and Dylan should be coming by later, so I can see the note Erica left and we can plan on the best course of action for him, " Jim told them.

"Oh, cool. I can't wait to meet the guy who has stolen Bren's heart, " was all Valerie said.

It was Brenda who awoke first this time. Dylan was sleeping beside her with that little smile on his face that she loved so much. She lovingly trailed her hand down the side of his face and he stirred. She paused and his eyes fluttered open. His arm snaked around her waist and he pulled her closer to him.

"Ready to tell me what you were thinking about earlier, " Brenda teased lightly.

"Hrm, I can't remember now..." he said, voice thick with sleep.

Brenda laughed and he pulled her down for a kiss which she returned eagerly before pushing him away.

"Keep it up and we're never going to get out of this bed."

"Trust me, I have no problems 'keeping it up' where you are concerned, " Dylan grinned.

Brenda looked amused as she wiggled out his arms to grab the t-shirt she had previously discarded.

"Mind telling me what the rush is, " Dylan asked curiously as he got out of bed and pulled on a pair of jeans.

"I told my father that we'd stop by over there, so you two could talk about getting your money back, " Brenda replied quietly.

"Screw the money, Bren. I just want Erica back, " Dylan snapped.

"I know that, Dylan. Daddy says the best chance we have of finding her though, is to track the serial numbers on the money that Suzanne and Kevin took. We find the money, we'll find them. Then we can bring Erica back here, " Brenda responded, unfazed by his outburst.

Dylan looked almost ashamed by his previous response, but Brenda didn't even seem to notice. She was too busy trying to straighten up the bed. Dylan shook his head. Some things really never did change.


End file.
